Fuse cutout



vFeb. 24, 1953 K. O. HANKS, JR 2,529,795

FUSE cUTouT Filed Feb. 12, 1951 s sheets-sheet 2 R J .J MS., W TK W N A EN ,M WA 7 IH .an O. H T E. N N a E K m/J f Feb. 24, 1953 K, o. HANKS, JR 2,629,795

FUSE cuTouTl Filed Feb. 12, 1951 s sheets-sheet 3 .8. y. FIG N a? V 3,8 Y y l /375 W' f/ Je l ff :i 2 o /E IL, L 7 m: /ff/ L j@ (f/ J70" FIG. 9.

1N V EN TOR.

f2 KlyNl-:TH O. HANK s', JR.

Patented Feb. 24, 1953 FUSE CUTOUT Kenneth' O. Hanks, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., assigner .to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis,

Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February 12, 1951, Serial No.'.210,559

(Cl. 2Mb- 114) 6l Claims.

This invention relates generally to fuse Vcutouts, and more specifically to an improved housed fuse cutout the housing of which -is provided with a Vdoor that supports a fuse cartridge, the predominant object of the inventionY being to provide an improved fuse cutout of thisv type which, because of its unique constructiony and the novel arrangement of its parts, is capable ofperforming its intended function in a highly efficient manner.

The improved fuse cutout disclosed herein is intended particularly for use in circuits carrying relatively high amperages and voltages, and said cutout includes several novel features of construction and arrangement that serve to produce anapparatus which is superior to housed cutouts heretofore known. .Among these features is the construction and arrangement of the upper contacts of the cutout that com-prises a pair of contact members which are independently spring loaded and are capable vof independent movement, and the arrangement of supporting the door of the housing in a closed position so that shocksl resulting from rupture of the fuse links may be absorbed in orderv that .damage to the door or parts relatedfthereto, or the housing, may be avoided.

The present invention includes other features of construction and arrangement which will. be described in detail herein and whichare illustrated in the drawings, in which- Fig 1 is a vertical section taken through a housed fuse cutout constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention.

Fig.y 2 is a fragmentary', vertical sectiontaken on lineZ-E of Fig. l and looking. in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical. section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l and looking in .thedirection indicated by the arrows.

Fig.l is a horizontal section takenonline i-' of Fig. 1, parts thereof being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectiontaken on line 5-5 of Fig. i and looking in the Ydirection indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6r is a fragmentary, vertical. section taken on line 6-6 ofFYig. l and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the staggered line 1-1 of Fig. l and looking in the direction .indicated by the arrows.

Fig. Sis a horizontal section taken on line 8-8 of Fig.' 1 andV looking in the direction indicatedby the arrows.

Fig'. 9 is 'a fragmentary, horizontal section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. l and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

i Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, verticalV section of the lower portion of the cutout. of this invention and showing certain parts of the cutout in changed positions.

In the drawings, wherein is shown forv pur-` poses of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates in Fig. l the improved fuse cutout generally. The cutout A includes a housing i whichis open at its front and bottom, said housing being provided at its front with' a door' 2, which is hinged to the body portion of the housing in a manner to be hereinafter set forth. The housing l of the` cutout A is formed of porcelain, or otherv suitable material, and the rear .wall of thev body portion thereof is of varying thicknesseaas is shown in Fig. 1. Formed transversely through the rear wall of the housing i adjacent tot the top thereof is a recess 3, and; formed transversely through said rear wall adjacent to the bottom of the housingl is a' similar recess' 4i, said recesses'S and ll being open at the outer faces of the opposed side walls of the housing, nd said recesses opening into the interior of the housing, as is shown in Fig. l. The rear wall of the housing l at the approximatel vertical center of said housing is of considerably greater thickness than the remainder of said rear wall, and, formed transversely through this portion of the rear wall is an opening 5 which is open at the outer faces of the opposed side wallsv of' the housing i and is of greater diameter than the openings 3' and 4. Also, an opening 6 of less diameter extends from the opening 5 rearwardly to the rear face of the rear wall of the housing I.

"Arranged in contact with the rear face of the rear wali of the housing l is a hanger 1 which serves as means for attaching the fuse cutout A to a support therefor. The hanger l includes a portion 'la which is disposed in a .recess 8 formed in a portion of the rear wall of the housingV i, andv said hanger is secured to said housing `by a bo'lt9 which passes through the opening t"A and through an opening'formed through the portion 'la of the hanger l. The bolt 9 is provided with a head 9 at vits outer 'end'.at which a washer I0- is arranged and the opposite end portion of said bolt extends into the opening 5, there being a substantially V-shaped element il located within said opening 5 in contactwith the wall thereof, said V-shaped element having an opening formed therethrough through which the holt 9 extends, and a nut I2 which is mountedon the inn-er end portion of theV boltl is screwed intoy close contact with said V-shaped element so as to securely x the hanger to the housing I. Relative rotation of the housing and the hanger about the bolt 9 is prevented because of the fact that the portion Ia of said hanger is disposed in the recess 8 of the housing I between the opposed side walls thereof (Fig. 4).

Located within the recesses 3 and 4 are terminals I3 and I4 to which are connected sections of conductors Ca and Cb that are parts of the electrical circuit with which the cutout A is associated, the terminal I3 being the incoming terminal while the terminal I4 is the outgoing terminal of the cutout. The terminal I3 comprises a plate portion I5 which is secured by fastening devices I6 to the rear wall of the housing I at the inner face thereof. Formed integral with the plate portion I5 at the top thereof is a transversely extended bar I'I, said bar I1 being provided with a concave seat I8 that receives a portion of the conductor Ca. and having portions I'I at the opposite ends of said bar which are of reduced thickness (Fig. 4). Embracing the portions I I of the bar II and portions of the conductor Cia is a pair of yokes I9 which are shaped in side elevation as is shown in Fig. l, each of said yokes being provided with a flat portion I9a that is disposed adjacent to the forward face of one of the portions I'I' of the bar I'I and a rounded portion I9b which engages a portion of the conductor Ca. Also, each yoke I9 has associated therewith a bolt 2U, the shank of which is received in a screwthreaded aperture formed in the portion I9a of the yoke, the end of said bolt opposite to the headed end thereof being disposed in a seat formed in the related portion I1 of the bar I'I. By rotating the bolts 20 of the terminal I3 in the proper direction it is obvious that the yokes I'I will be moved to the right In Fig. 4 so as to cause portions of the conductor Ca to be gripped tightly between the portions |913 of said yokes and portions of the bar seat I8 of the bar I'I.

The plate portion I5 of the terminal I3 is provided with spaced legs 2| which are projected forwardly from the opposed side edges of said plate portion so as to cause the structure produced by the plate portion I5 and the legs 2| to be of U-shaped formation. The spaced legs support for pivotal movement a pair of spaced contact members 22, the means for connecting said contact members to said spaced legs comprising a pivot rod 23 which is supported at its opposite ends in openings formed through said spaced legs (Fig. 3). The contact members 22 are fixedly mounted on tubular bearing elements 24 that abut against each other at the approximate longitudinal center of the pivot rod 23 and which embrace said pivot rod, there being a torsional coil spring 25 which has coiled portions 25a and 25h that respectively embrace the tubular bearing elements 24, with an intermediate loop portion 25e of said torsional spring engaging a pin 26 supported by the spaced legs 2|, and end portions 25d thereof overlapping and engaging the contact members 22. The torsional coil spring 25 tends to urge the forward portions of the conta-ct members 22 in a downward direction, and said contact members are capable of independent movement, the torsional coil spring 25 tending to urge said Contact members to their downward positions where portions thereof abut against portions of the pin 26.

By referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 it will be` noted that a pair of shunts 21 and 28 are provided for conducting current from the upper' terminal I3 to the contact members 22. These shunts are both connected by means of a bolt 29 to the bar II of the terminal I3, the opposite end of one of said shunts being connected to one of the contact members 22, while the corresponding end of the other shunt is connected to the other contact member 22, the latter connections being made through the instrumentality of bolts 30. Also, the bar I1 of the upper terminal I3 has secured thereto by suitable fastening devices 3I an auxiliary contact 3I which is formed of resilient, electrical conductive material and serves a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

The lower terminal I4 is constructed substantially in accordance with the upper terminal I3, as hereinafter described; that is to say, said lower terminal comprises a plate portion 32 which is secured by means of suitable fastening devices 33 to the rear wall of the housing I of the cutout A. The plate portion 32 is provided at its lower end with a transversely extended bar 34, said bar having portions 34' at opposite ends thereof which are of reduced thickness (Fig. 7), and said bar has formed therein a longitudinally extended seat 35 in which a portion of the conductor Cb is seated. Portions of the conductor Cb and the portions 34 of the bar 34 are embraced by yokes 36 with which are associated bolts 3'I, said bolts being screwthreadedly extended through screwthreaded openings formed through the portions 36' of the yokes 36 and end portions of said bolts are disposed in seats 31 formed in the portions 34 of the bar 34.

The plate portion 32 of the lower terminal I4 is provided with spaced, forwardly projected legs 38 of tapered formation, as is shown to good advantage in Figs. l and 8. The spaced legs 38 have disposed therebetween for pivotal movement a member 39 which is of U-shaped formation, there being a pair of opposed side portions 39a which are joined by a bridge portion 39h. The member 39 is supported for pivotal movement by the spaced legs of the plate portion 32 of the lower terminal I4 through the use of a rod 48 which extends through apertures formed through the spaced portions 39a of the member 39 and whose opposite end portions are seated in openings formed in the spaced legs 38, there being a torsional coil spring 4I arranged in embracing relation with respect to said rod 40 with one end portion of said torsional coil spring contacting with the bridge portion 39h of the member 3I and the opposite end portion of said torsional coil spring contacting with a pin 42 supported by the spaced leg structure of the plate portion 32 of the lower terminal I4. The lower terminal structure of the cutout A includes a pair of shunts 43 which are connected at corresponding ends thereof to the bar 34 of the lower terminal I4 by means of a bolt 44, and at the opposite ends of said shunts, respectively, to the opposed side portions 39a of the member 39 by means of bolts 45. y

The door 2 of the cutout A has mounted thereo a fuse cartridge 46, said fuse cartridge including a tube structure 41 comprising an inner tube 41a formed of horn fiber, or other material which is characterized by the ability to give off gas in the presence of the heat of an electric arc that tends to extinguish the arc, and an outer tube 4'Ib formed of a suitable good weathering material. The upper portion of the tube structure 41 is supported by a sleeve 48 which is secured to the door 2 by suitable fastening devices 48', said fastening devices being extended through apertured flanges 49 that are projected from the sleeve. The tube structure extends, also, through an opening 55 formed through an extension 50 which projects inwardly of the housing I from ie door 2 thereof. Adjacent to the lower end of the tube structure 41 a member 5| is secured to the door 2, said member having an inverted cup-shaped portion 52 and being provided with flanges lit that receive fastening devices 54 for securing said member to the door (Fig. 8) Also, the member l is provided at its top with an annular; upstanding portion 55, the tube structurev 41 being extended through said portion 55 and' through the cup-shaped portion 52 of said member 5I.

The outer tube 41h of the tube structure 41 is provided with a lower portion 41 which is of reduced thickness, as is shown to good advantage in Fig. l0, and embracing said portion d1' of said outer tube is a tubular element 56. At the lower end thereof the tubular element 56 has fixedly mounted thereon a collar 51 provided with a forwardly extended lug 58 that projects into a groove 59 formed in the door 2. Also, at the opposite side of the collar 51 a rearwardly projected, bifurcated extension 68 is provided, and pivotally attached to said extension by means of a pivot element Bi is a toggle member 62. The toggleV member 62 is provided with an arcuate portion 52d of channel-shaped cross-section, said toggle member 62 also being provided with an end portion 82e in which a notch 62d is formed. The lower portion 41 of the outer tube 41h ofthe tube structure 'i of the fuse cartridge i6 is embraced by a coil spring B3 which contacts at its upper end with the wall 64 vof the member 5I and at its lower end with the top face of the collar 5l', said coil spring tending to move the tubular element 56, and the parts related thereto, in a downward direction. The member 5I has an extension 55 formed thereon in which is formed a key-hole shaped slot 66, and pivotally secured to the lower end portion of said extension 65 through the instrumentality of a pivot element 51 is an arm 68. The arm 68 is bifurcated at its upper end, as is shown in Fig. 5, and a bearing portion 65 of said extension 55 is received between spaced parts 68 of said arm, the pivot element 61 being extending through alined openings formed through said bearing portion and said spaced parts. The upper portion 58a of the arm 58 is relatively wide, as is shown in Fig. 5, there being an arm portion Seb extended downwardlyfrom said wide arm portion 68a, a portion 68o extended laterally from the lower end of said arm portion 68h, and an arm portion 68d extended upwardly from the arm portion 58o. The spaced parts 69 of the arm Gil are shaped as is shown in Fig. for a reason to be hereinafter set forth.

The tube structure 41 of the fuse cartridge 46 receives a fuse link 10 which is extended therethrough, said fuse link having a button 1| at its upper end which is engaged by a cap 12 that is screwthreadedly applied to the upper end of the tube structure. The fuse link 10 is provided with a fusible section 10a and a cable section 10b, said cable section being extended out of the lower end of the tube structure 41 and a portion thereof being disposed in the channelshaped portion 62a of the toggle member 62. Also, a portion of the fuse link 10 is gripped between the wall of the notch-62d ofthe toggle vmember 62 Vand the upper tapered part of the portionv 68e of the arm 68, said'fuse link then extending upwardly to a point where it is` secured by a bolt 13 and a plate 14 to the portion 58d of the arm B8.

The housing l is provided within the lower portion thereof with a pair of opposed hinge plates 15 which are xedly secured in place within said housing. Each of the plates 151s shaped as is shown inV Fig. 1; that isV to say, each plate includes a lower part from the rear portion of which an upwardly and outwardly projected portion 15a is extended. Also, extended upwardly fromv the forward portion of the lower part of each plate 15 is a portion 15b whichv is provided with a shoulder` 15o, the inner edges of the portions 15a and 15b of each plate 15 merging into a circular opening-15d which is at the bottom of an irregular shaped slot that is open at the forward edge of the plate. The door 2 has xed thereto at opposite sides of the lower portion thereof a pair of hinge pins 16, said hinge pins being provided with flanges 16a through apertures of which fastening devices 11 extend for securing said hinge pins to the door and said hinge pins bein-g provided with heads 16D. In the normal position of the door 2 the hinge pins 16 thereof are disposed lin the circular openings 15d of the hinge plates and as a result thereof said door mayY be moved outwardly and downwardly about thev axes of the hinge pins. Also,y when the Vdoor is in its normal closed position the auxiliary contact 3| contacts with the upper face of the cap 'I2 at the top of the fuse cartridge 46 and serves to dissipate heat generated during operation of the cutout. Likewise, in the normal closed position of the door 2 the notches 18 of the spaced side portions of the contacts 22 engage projections 19 which extend outwardly in opposite directions from the sleeve 48 so as to retain the door in its closed position.

When the improved cutout of this invention is arranged for use, the tubular element 56, and the parts related to said tubular element, are elevated against the downward force exerted by the coil spring 63, the intact fuse link 10 holding said tubular element and its related parts in such elevated position. The lower portions of the toggle member 62 and the arm 68 are held in their cooperative forward positions by the intact fuse link which, as heretofore explained, passes between and is gripped by lportions of said toggle member and arm. Thus,` the substantially vertically disposed arm 68 in cooperation with the toggle mem- .ber 62 holds the tubfular element 56,'and the parts related thereto in elevated positions against the action of the coil spring 63, and the fuse link prevents the toggle connection 'between extension and the collar 51 produced by the toggle member 62 and the arrn 68 from breaking inwardly of the housing. I to permit the tubular element 5t, and the parts related thereto, to move downwardly' in response to force exerted by the coil spring 63. It is obvious that because the downward exertion of the coil spring t3 tends to break the toggle connection inwardly of the housing, the

fuse link which resists such toggle-breaking movement is placed vunder tension by said coilspring. v

When an electrical fault of sufficient magnitudel occurs in the circuit in which the cutout is interposed, the fusible section of the fuse link 10 is ruptured and asv a result the. force whichrestrains the toggle connection between the extensioni 65 and the collar 51 from. breaking is removedand inward breaking movement of said toggle connection immediately takes place. Thus, the coil spring 63 moves the tubular element 56, and the parts related thereto, downwardly relative to the tube structure 41 of the fuse cartridge 46 and the lower section of the ruptured fuse link is pulled downwardly out of the open lower end of said tube structure as the toggle mem-ber swings about its pivot, the downwardly moved parts referred to serving as a signal which indi- Cates to a lineman on the ground that the fuse link of the cutout is ruptured and that the circuit is out of service. It is important to note that the arcuate, channel-shaped portion 62a of the toggle member 62 causes the lower portion of the ruptured fuse link to be pulled downwardly in such manner that said fuse link portion does not drag against the lower edge of the inner tube 41a of the tube structure 46, said arcuate portion holding said fuse link portion away from said lower edge of said inner tube. Also, it is to be noted that the cam-shaped parts 59 of the arm B8, which contact with edge portions of the opposed side portions 39a of the spring-loaded member 39, serve to accelerate rearward movement of the arm 68 and hold said arm in its rearward position after rupture of the fuse link, as is shown in Fig. 10. The keyhole-shaped slot 66 in the extension 65 is adapted to receive a portion of a switch stick when the combined door and fuse cartridge is being applied to or removed from the housing I.

Attention is directed to the fact that when rupture of a fuse link subjects the door 2 of the cutout A to a heavy, upwardly-directed shock as is frequently the case, the slots of the hinge plates 75 which receive the hinge pins 16 are so shaped that the door may move upwardly, upward movement of the door being limited Iby contact of the hinge pins 'I6 with the shoulders 15e of the hinge plates 15 (Fig. l). In this manner the shock will be absorbed without the door or the housing being subiected to damage resulting` from the shock.

I claim:

1. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge rigidly supported by said door and having latch elements extended from a portion thereof, a fuse link extended through said fuse cartridge, means within said housing for latching said door in its closed position, said latching means comprising a pair of pivotally supported forwardly extended and independently movable contact elements which engage said `latch elements of said fuse cartridge, said pivoted elements being formed of rigid material, and spring means for urging the forward portions of said contact elements downwardly, means supported for sliding movement by a portion of said fuse cartridge in response to force exerted thereagainst by a spring associated with said slidably supported means, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing movement of said slidably supported means in response to force exerted thereagainst by said spring, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of said fuse link to permit said slidably supported means to move downwardly so as to withdraw a portion of the ruptured fuse link from said fuse cartridge.

2. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge rigidly supported by said door and having latch elements extended from a portion thereof, a fuse link extended through said fuse cartridge, means within said housing for latching said door in its closed position, said latching means comprising a pair of pivotally supported forwardly extended and independently movable contact elements which engage said latch elements of said fuse cartridge, said pvoted elements being formed of rigid material, and torsional spring means for urging the forward portions of said contact elements downwardly, means supported for sliding movement by a portion of said fuse cartridge in response :to force exerted thereagainst by a spring associated with said slidably supported means, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing movement of said slidably supported means in response to force exerted thereagainst by said spring, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of said fuse link to permit said slidably supported means to move downwardly so as to withdraw a portion of the ruptured fuse link from said fuse cartridge.

3. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge rigidly supported by said door and having latch elements extended from a portion thereof, a fuse link extended through said fuse cartridge, means within said housing for iatching said door in its closed position, said latching means comprising a pair of pivotally supported forwardly extended and independently movable contact elements which engage said latch elements of said fuse cartridge, said pivoted elements being formed of rigid material, and torsional spring rneans common to both of said contact elements for urigng the forward portions of said contact elements downwardly, means supported for sliding movement by a portion of said fuse cartridge in response to force exerted thereagainst by a spring associated with said slidably supported means, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing movement of said slidably supported means in response to force exerted thereagainst by said spring, said reieasable means being adapted on rupture of said fuse link to permit said slidably supported means to move downwardly so as to withdraw a portion of the ruptured fuse link from said fuse cartridge` 4. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby. a fuse cartridge rigidly supported by said door. a fuse link extended through said fuse cartridge, means within said housing for latching said door in its closed position, means supported for sliding movement by a lower portion of said fuse cartridge in response to force exerted thereagainst by a spring associated with said slidably supported means, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing movement of said slidably supported means in response to force exerted by said spring, said releasable means comprising a toggle member pivotally supported by said slidably supported means, an arm pivotally supported by a portion of said fuse cartridge, and a spring loaded pivotally supported member which engages opposed cam-shaped portions of said arm and tends to rotate said arm about its pivot, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of said fuse link to permit said slidably supported means to move downwardly so as to withdraw a portion of the ruptured fuse link from said fuse cartridge.

5. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge rigidly supported by said door, a fuse link extended through said fuse cartridge.

means within said housing for latching said door in its closed position, means supported for siiding movement by a lower portion of said fuse cartridge in response to force exerted thereagainst by a spring associated with said slidably supported means, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing movement of said slidably supported means in response to force exerted by said spring, said releasable means comprising a toggle member pivotally supported by said slidably supported means, an arm pivotally supported by a portion of said fuse cartridge, and a spring loaded pivotally supported U-shaped member which engages opposed cam-shaped portions of said arm and tends to rotate said arm about its pivot, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of said fuse link to permit said slidably supported means to move downwardly so as to withdraw a portion of the ruptured fuse link from said fuse cartridge.

6, A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge rigidly supported by said door, a fuse link extended through said fuse cartridge, means within said housing for latching said door in its closed position, means supported for sliding movement by a lower portion of said fuse cartridge in response to force exerted thereagainst by a spring associated with said slidably 10 supported means, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing movement of said slidably supported means in response to force exerted by said spring, said reieasable means comprising a toggle member pivotally supported by said slidably supported means, an arm pivotally supported by a portion of said fuse cartridge, a spring loaded pivotally supported U-shaped member which engages opposed cam-shaped portions of said arm and tends to rotate said arm about its pivot, and a terminal by which said spring loaded member is supported, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of said fuse link to permit said slidably supported means to move downwardly so as to withdraw a portion of the ruptured fuse link from said fuse cartridge.

KENNETH O. HANKS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,077,207 Birkenmaier Apr. 13, 1937 2,176,227 Schultz et al. Oct. 17, 1939 2,203,330 Goldner June 4, 1940 2,246,807 McCluskey et al. June 24, 1941 2,563,558 Schultheiss Aug. 7, 1951 

